Winning a Senate seat from prison
Do we not have a Philippine law against this?
I’ve seen this happen more than twice already, when a convict is able to campaign and win an election inside prison!
Antonio Trillanes, the Navy lieutenant, who led more than 300 troops against the government of Arroyo four years ago, has won a seat in the Philippine Senate. How that’s possible is beyond my comprehension.
I don’t personally know Trillanes, and I have nothing against him personally. For all I know he is the most noble man in town. The thing that bothers me is that he is in prison. How is he able to actively participate in the legislature if he is being tried in both civilian and military courts? And to think that Filipino taxes are paying for his trials AND his salary as Senator?
And then there’s Gregorio Honasan, too.
Very soon, we might be seeing convicts and ex-convicts rule our legislative government… Will it even surprise us if a convict runs for President of the Philippines? Oh, wait.. Estrada already tried that.
And is it unlawful? I bet it’s not.
[source:Seattletimes]
Tags: Philippines, Senate, Senator, Antonio Trillanes, Congress, laws, prison
4 Comments
Just because someone is in prison does not mean they deserve to be there. Just ask Nelson Mandela.
Realist- maybe so, and Trillanes is innocent until proven guilty. Nevertheless, it’s not his innocence that’s in question, but his capability to handle his senatorial duties well if he is confined to his prison cell. It’s not even about him being let out to attend and participate senate hearings (which is but small part) but to serve his constituents well by being present in the community.
It’s our consititutional right to run in any position in govt. The 11M people voted Trillanes knows for sure the consequences u mentioned as well as Sen. Trillanes before he filed his candidacy. The GMA admin is afraid of what will happen next that’s why they did not grant the request of the Sen. for him to allow to attend to senate sessions. DOJ is applying diff. standard against him. Nur Misuari is charged with an non bailable offense but placed uner “townhouse arrest”, allowed to campaign in Mindanao during the May elections, and permitted to go out of the country on an official mission even though he is just a mere observer.
Estrada is also charged with a non-bailable offense but has been allowed by the Sandiganbayan to leave his place of detention on numerous occasions like attending his mother’s birthday and his son’s wedding.
I cannot understand why the DoJ should oppose the Senator’s request to work and to perform his functions as a duly elected senator of the country.
Juliefaye, well.. Nur misuari and Estrada roaming… now that I didn’t know. something is definitely wrong with our standards of justice. and it is just too sad, you know. because then influential people in jail do get treated much differently than ordinary ones. can an unknown inmate with a lesser offence get to attend parties outside of jail?!